Soccer

Stalemate with Sligo Rovers ends Derry City’s title challenge

Candystripes foiled by an impressive performance from former Hoops goalkeeper Richard Brush

Derry City's Ronan Boyce reacts to a missed chance against Sligo. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho
David Goulden
Paul Buttner
Mon Oct 24 2022 - 22:15

Sligo Rovers 0 Derry City 0

Shamrock Rovers are league champions for the 20th time after Derry City could only manage a stalemate at the Showgrounds.

Needing a win to prolong their title challenge to next Sunday at the very least, the Candystripes were foiled by an impressive performance from former Hoops goalkeeper Richard Brush in the Sligo goal.

The result means City cannot catch Shamrock Rovers who sit seven points clear with two games to go.

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Returning to the scene of their last domestic defeat in late May, the visitors started well but were gradually pegged back.

Joe Thomson almost caught out Brush five minutes in, but fired wide from 30 yards out. While City went route one 15 minutes later when Thomson got on the end of Brian Maher’s punt forward, sending Ryan Graydon through. The ex-Longford man firing straight at Brush however.

The Candystripes, chasing a first title in 25 years, hit a rough patch in this game in which they had Maher to thank for keeping the score level on multiple occasions.

[ Shamrock Rovers seal third successive league title after Derry slip-up ]

The Irish under-21 international kept out Adam McDonnell’s powerful free-kick on 28 minutes. While the same man denied Aidan Keena from point blank range seconds later.

Derry finished the half on the front foot. Brush needed to back-peddle to keep hold of Cameron Dummigan’s looping header six minutes from the break. While the Birmingham native pushed away Cian Kavanagh’s effort from the angle before the interval.

Kavanagh was guilty of passing up the game’s best opportunity 10 minutes after the restart. The 26-year-old somehow blasting wide from five yards out after another Will Patching set piece worried the Sligo rearguard.

Brush swept into action again on 65 when he scrambled across his goal to get a touch on substitute Jamie McGonigle’s glancing header. While Mata almost won the game for Sligo at the death, but the New Zealander could only screw his volley past the far post in the second minute of added time.

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Lewis Banks, Shane Blaney (Eanna Clancy 78), Nando Pijnaker, Paddy Kirk; Adam McDonnell, Robbie Burton (Greg Bolger 72); Frank Liivak (Max Mata 57), Will Fitzgerald; Kailin Barlow (Karl O’Sullivan HT); Aidan Keena.

Derry City: Brian Maher; Ronan Boyce (Jordan McEneff 82), Mark Connolly, Cameron McJannett, Ciaran Coll (Danny Lafferty 82); Sadio Diallo, Cameron Dummigan, Joe Thomson (Jamie McGonigle 63); Ryan Graydon, Will Patching (Patrick McEleney 82); Cian Kavanagh (Michael Duffy 64).

Referee: Neil Doyle.

Shelbourne 1 UCD 1

Mark Dignam’s first goal of the season salvaged a precious point for UCD at Tolka Park to keep their survival hopes very much alive as they came from behind against FAI Cup finalists Shelbourne.

A first goal for the club from Kameron Ledwidge looked like it might deliver a first win in 11 league games for Shelbourne as they dominated for good spells.

But midfielder Dignam’s fine equaliser means UCD edge three points ahead of bottom side Finn Harps whom they meet in Ballybofey on Friday night.

Shelbourne started on the front foot and should have been ahead inside two minutes.

Shane Farrell, on his 100th league appearance for the club, sent Ledwidge to the end line to cross to the back post where Brian McManus skied his volley way over the top.

Shelbourne continued to enjoy plenty of the ball, though it was the 31st minute before they troubled Kian Moore when Jack Moylan came alive to beat a couple of defenders and force a save from the College keeper.

Ten minutes later, the dominant host were deservedly ahead.

Farrell’s corner was straight to the edge of the area where defender Ledwidge’s first-time volley squirmed through the grasp of Moore.

Introduced from the resumption, Tommy Lonergan almost brought UCD level inside six minutes of the restart, flicking over from Evan Caffrey’s clever ball over the top.

It raised UCD’s confidence and they equalised on 64 minutes.

Skipper Jack Keaney’s ball into the area was killed by Dignam who got turned to rifle a rising shot to the net for a fine finish.

Shelbourne: Clarke; Griffin, Byrne, Ledwidge; Wilson (Giurgi, 74), McManus (Coyle, 74), Lunney, Molloy, Farrell (Carr, 79); Moylan, Smith.

UCD: Moore; Keaney, O’Brien, Todd; Brennan, Caffrey; Duggan (Gallagher, 81), Keane, Nolan (Higgins, 61), Dignam (Osam, 81); Haist (Longeran, h-t)

Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford).